


Calling Shotgun, It’s A Long Road Home

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Murder and Consequences [12]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-24 00:33:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8349253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: In the end, it all came down to what Damian wanted.





	

**Author's Note:**

> They probably stay at the cabin another night or something. Tim cuddles the fuck out of that kid, whenever he finally gets the damn chance. Just the epilogue left~

Dick sucked in a breath.

Bruce didn’t move, other than to lower the phone from his ear. He wasn’t dressed as Batman – was just in jeans and a jacket. He was Bruce. He was _just_ Bruce Wayne. He looked just like the dad Dick always wanted him to be, for Damian or otherwise. The dad he wanted to trust Bruce _was_ , but couldn’t bring himself to, not right now. Not with _so much_ at stake.

“…No.”

Bruce still didn’t move, and in the distance, Dick heard the snap of trees, and of footsteps.

“Dick-”

But Dick didn’t listen. Couldn’t, really. His instinct had suddenly kicked in, and his instinct was – and has _always_ been – to protect his siblings.

Without thinking, he spun around, jumping back into the house. He stormed through the room, and found Jason and Damian right where he’d left them, in the corner by the back door. Jason had shifted them just slightly, putting their backs to the wall, and standing in front of Damian.

“What is it?” Jason demanded, as Dick approached. “What…is he _here_?”

Dick didn’t look at him. Stared fiercely at the guns on Jason’s hip as he grabbed one, and yanked it out of the holster.

Jason’s eyes widened as he reached for the gun himself. “What the _fu_ -”

“Stay here.” Dick repeated for the third time, stomping back to the front door.

And still, he didn’t think. Didn’t think what he was _doing_ , or _who_ he was doing it to, as, when he stepped back across the threshold, he held the gun up, and pointed it straight at Bruce.

And still – Bruce didn’t move. Didn’t even emote.

“...This isn’t fair.” Dick called nervously. “This isn’t _fair_ , Bruce.”

“I know.” Bruce whispered. “But if you changed your mind, I’ll leave right now. I promise.”

“You ambushed us. You’re chasing us like _criminals_. You’re not _listening_ to us, just like you never have.” Dick accused. “…Bruce, I won’t let you hurt him. I _won’t_.” His hand shook, but he tried to hide it. “I will do _anything_ to make sure you won’t hurt him. Not anymore. Not ever again.”

“I’m not here to hurt him.” Bruce responded calmly. “Damian, or Jason, or _you_. I’m here because you’re my sons. Because you’re my children, and I _love_ you, and want you _safe_. In every way possible.”

Dick swallowed, hard. Ignored the sounds from behind Bruce, and the sounds coming up behind him. Just stared at his father, wondered if this was in any way similar to how Damian felt when he and Jason had found him. Panicked and cornered and miserable.

“…He’s not ready.” Dick whispered. “Bruce, he’s not _read_ -”

“You _fucking_ -” Jason’s voice was suddenly in his ear, and there was a hand on his wrist, lowering his arm and yanking the gun away. “Are you out of your _fucking_ mind?! You’re going to _shoot_ him?!”

Talia and Tim appeared in the trees, then. Tim’s eyes wide, as he watched Jason pull the weapon away.

“Dick…”

“Beloved, what did you do?” Talia demanded, stepping up to Bruce’s side. He glanced gently at her.

“Nothing.” Bruce promised. “Just…just let him work through this. He’s okay.”

Jason kept hold of Dick’s wrist, reholstering his gun and securing it, before glaring down at Bruce.

“What do you want.” It was a statement, not a question.

“To talk.” Tim interjected, stepping forward, hands held wide in cautiousness. “I want to see _my brother_ – _all_ of my brothers – because I haven’t seen them since this whole thing went down, and I’m scared out of my _damn_ mind for all of them.”

“…Like I told Dick.” Bruce said slowly, addressing Jason now. “It’s all down to you. If you want me to leave, I’ll leave. If you want to meet one on one, we can do that. If we start talking and you decide to call it off, we can do that too.”

“…What he means,” Tim tried. “Is we can only believe so much of what Dick tells us on the phone without seeing it in person.” A sad smile. “And you know we all suck at leaving well enough alone.”

Jason watched him for a moment, before looking at Dick. Dick was still staring wildly between Tim, Bruce and Talia, body tense under Jason’s hand. He was like a rabid dog, ready to strike at any second.

Just because his brothers might – _might_ – have been threatened.

(Did he really miss this, from Dick, for all these years? For all of them?)

“…Todd?”

Jason glanced back into the house, where Damian had come closer to the door. The kid was tense too, ready to spring. Was half hiding behind the wall of the foyer. His eyes tried to dart past him and Dick, but Jason knew he couldn’t see anything.

“…I think we’ve gotta leave it up to him, Dick.” Jason whispered, looking back at the eldest. “We have to ask Damian what he wants to do.”

Dick paused, and nodded.

“…At the very least, invite them inside. Since they’re clearly not going anywhere.” Jason hummed, squeezing his arm and releasing. “At least invite _Tim_ inside.”

Dick nodded again, even as Jason ducked back into the house. He listened as Jason spoke quietly to Damian, no doubt crouching in front of him and carefully holding his arms. Explained that Bruce and his mother were here, that they wouldn’t come in unless Damian wanted them to. That Tim was here too, and he could see all or none of them, if he so chose.

He listened as Damian questioned him, listened to the fear in the child’s voice, and it absolutely broke his heart.

He left Jason to it, though. Had a swell of pride, at his successor, as he carefully walked down the front steps, to approach his final brother.

Tim was still smiling sadly, as Dick enveloped him in his arms. He held Dick just as tightly, right back. “Hey, you.”

“Howdy, Timbo.” Dick mumbled into his hair. “How you doing?”

“Could be better. Better than _you_ , I’d bet.” Tim laughed, leaning back, searching Dick’s eyes. “…He means it, Dick. Bruce just wants to make sure Damian is okay.”

Dick inhaled, and glanced over. Bruce was watching them tiredly.

“…I want to trust that, Tim. You _know_ I do.” Dick sighed. “But…”

“But it’s hard, I know.” Tim nodded knowingly. “But we’ll-”

“Dick.” Dick spun around, found Jason in the doorway. Jason hesitated, and glanced around the driveway, before steeling himself. “…Bring ‘em in.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, before spinning back around. Dick watched him stoop, and gather Damian into his arms, before going further back into the cabin.

Dick swallowed again, and reluctantly released Tim, gesturing towards the house. There was a pause, and Dick heard Talia and Bruce follow carefully after them.

He hopped up the stairs two at a time, and practically jogged back to the family room. Jason and Damian were back in that corner, by the door to the deck. Jason was crouched, Damian cocooned between his knees, his face buried in Jason’s collar, and hands fisted in his shirt.

Damian was already breaking down. He could see it in the shaking of his shoulders, could hear it in the way Jason was whispering carefully and trying soothe him with a gentle hand on his spine.

He knew it – Damian wasn’t ready.

“It’s okay, big guy.” Jason was humming. “Any moment you want to stop, any moment you’ve had enough. You tell me or Dickie, and we’ll getcha out of here, okay?”

Damian’s breath was shaky, but he nodded vigorously.

The floorboards squeaked as their guests came in, one by one. Jason looked up, and quickly stood, keeping one arm around Damian’s shoulders, and his face pressed to his side, even as he half stood in front of him. Damian allowed the manhandling.

Jason’s face was fierce, but still nervous, as he stared at Dick, nodded then glanced over his shoulder at Bruce. Dick nodded back, and spun around, to face their father.

Tim immediately ducked to the side, eyes searching the room for Damian. When he found them, he stepped forward, and glanced up at Jason in question. Jason seemed to think, but shook his head, and held up his finger. Tim nodded, and shrunk back a little bit, eyes never leaving the smallest of them.

Talia moved to the other side, towards the kitchen, where the meal Damian had been making simmered, and mimicked Tim’s movements. Just stood there, and watched her son sadly. She turned only once, when the stove hissed. Looked over the counter, before carefully lowering the heat, and stirring the pot, then twirled back.

And that just left Dick and Bruce.

“…You know why I did this.” Dick started harshly. “You know why I hid them from you, and why I’ll keep running from you if I have to.”

“I know.” Bruce promised. “And really, Dick. Thank you. You…” And he seemed not to want to say it, but forced it out of his mouth. “You did the _right_ thing.”

Dick narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“…Are you okay?” Bruce tried calmly. Then back to Jason. “Are the _two of you_ okay?”

“Never better.” Jason sneered sarcastically.

“Physically, I mean.” Bruce continued. “Are you…hungry? Neither of you are hurt? No one else came after you? Or found you?”

The sincerity was there, and Dick…couldn’t deny that. His steeled posture drooped a little bit, and he crossed his arms. “…No. Jay and I are fine.”

“Good. I’m _glad_.” Bruce tried to smile in relief. The smile didn’t get far, though, before it dropped once more. Bruce tilted his head, looking slightly over Dick’s shoulder, and Dick knew exactly who at. “Is he…?”

“We didn’t find any injuries, no.” Dick listed off. “ _Physically_ , he’s okay, too. Doesn’t eat a whole, whole lot, but.” He nodded to the stove behind Talia. “We’re working on that.”

“That’s…good.” Though Bruce didn’t sound so sure. His eyes were still over Dick’s shoulder, and Dick knew without looking, that Damian was still pressed into Jason’s side, had refused to look up at all yet. “How…” The question died on Bruce’s lips, replaced with a whisper filled with sadness and worry. “…How is he?”

Dick pursed his lips, tried to think. Heard a shift, and Jason muttering comfort again. He glanced at Tim, and his face broke Dick’s heart.

“Scared out of his mind.” Dick finally settled on. “And not…not just because of _you_ , though that’s a big thing. He has nightmares about the Joker, about losing one of us. He jumps at the smallest noise, panics if Jason and I aren’t in direct sight. And that’s not even starting on his guilt and trauma.” Dick sighed. “He’s…he’s not _well_ , Bruce.”

A pause.

“…And I don’t think _you_ _being here_ is going to make it any better.” Dick snapped. “Because, like I said, a big fear is what _you’re_ going to do. He thinks you _hate_ him. He thinks you let him down.” Dick’s hands balled into fists. “He thinks you’re going to _turn him in.”_

“Never.” The sentence was barely out of Dick’s mouth before Bruce responded. “Dick, I swear to you on my life, right now, that I will _never_ do that.”

“…I want to believe that, Bruce.” Dick said hesitantly. “I _want_ to, but. I _know how you are_. I know what this…what this kind of _shit_ does to you. Especially when it’s one of us.” He stopped again, and bit his lip. Because he didn’t want to say it, but knew it was the truth. Deep down, somewhere. “Especially when it’s _Damian_.”

And to Dick’s – and probably everyone’s – surprise, Bruce didn’t refute it. Just lowered his gaze, and nodded slowly.

“…I know.” He hummed. “I know when it comes to Damian, I…don’t always give him the benefit of the doubt. That I am too harsh, and force a double standard on him. You’re…you’re right about that, Dick, and I. I _meant_ it, when I said it. I’m grateful, I am _so grateful_ , that you took control of the situation. That you got Damian and Jason out and _safe_.”

Now it was his turn to pause.

“…Though I am sorry, that this fell to you.” Bruce said mournfully. “This was not a responsibility you should have ever had to take on.” Bruce visibly swallowed, eyes lifting back to the corner. “Just like that was never a situation Damian should have ever had to take on either.”

And finally Dick turned back, to look at the ones he was still ready and willing to do anything for, in this moment. Jason was still tense, ready to spring, forward or back. Ready to scoop Damian up and literally run out that door, if he had to.

Damian was still hidden, though Dick could see a watery, frightened eye peeking out at him.

“…What do you want, Bruce?” Dick asked quietly, looking back. “Did you really just show up to see him, or are you hoping to accomplish something here?”

“I want to bring my son home.” Bruce said simply. “I want to see him, and I want to help him, in any way I can. That’s all.” And suddenly, Bruce stepped to the side, and his gaze was squarely on Jason. “For each of you.”

“Nu-uh.” Jason countered immediately, head shaking nervously. For a moment, he looked like Damian, clinging to the closest body and terrified. “No way, old man. Dick isn’t the only one who knows how you think. I _know_ you think that _I_ -”

“This isn’t your fault, Jason. This isn’t anyone’s fault, but my own.” Bruce cut off. “And I’ve never thought anything else since this all happened.” He sighed, ran his fingers through his hair. “If…if _anything_ , I…the only anger I have is that this dredged up so much pain for you.” He closed his eyes. “That I let that madman hurt you _again_ , and let him hurt Damian and the rest of the family in the process.”

Jason’s eyes were wide, and they darted between Bruce and Dick. Dick held his hand out to him, in a silent plea for calm. He could see Jason wasn’t going to go for it, though. That the panic and emotions and confusion he had asked Jason about not twenty minutes ago was starting to bubble up.

Quickly, he turned back to Bruce, who met his eye instantly. “Bruce, maybe we should-”

“Father?”

It was like the whole room stopped breathing.

Dick spun around, and even Jason was looking down at his little shadow. Damian’s face was fully exposed now, though his cheek was still pressed to Jason’s shirt, and he still clung to his brother like it was the only thing keeping him safe.

“Do you mean that?” Damian whispered. “You don’t blame Todd?”

Bruce took an involuntary step forward, though stopped, even before Dick’s hand came up to stop him.

“I don’t. I never have.” Bruce promised. “…Just like I don’t blame you, either, Damian.”

And those tears overflowed from the little boy’s eyes. “So you love Todd again?”

When Bruce took a step forward this time, despite his warning glare, Dick didn’t have the heart to stop him. Bruce’s steps were slow, and precise. Damian did jump at the movement, but just once, and Jason carefully rubbed his shoulder. Though he, too, cautiously let Bruce approach.

Bruce carefully dropped to one knee, looking up at Damian with a soft smile.

“I love him still, like I always have. The Joker never changed that, not in any way.” Bruce whispered. He waited, to see Damian’s reaction, before reaching up and gently wiping a tear away. “Just like I always have and always will still love _you_.”

Damian’s face collapsed, and tears spilled faster down his face.

“I’m sorry.” He wailed into Jason’s side. “I’m so sorry, Father. I-I-I let you down. I _disappointed_ you. You asked me not to do one thing and-”

“No you didn’t.” Bruce cut off, shaking his head. He wiped another tear away before dropping his hand. “No you didn’t, Damian.”

Damian continued to cry. Shook his head, and ducked back against Jason’s side.

“What happened to you was terrible, and awful, and I will regret it the rest of my life, not being there to protect you from this. From that… _monster_.” And they could all see it now, Bruce’s telltale internalized guilt and anger. “I’m just.” Bruce swallowed, and refocused on the little boy in front of him. “I’m just so happy you’re still alive, son.”

Damian’s hands tightened on Jason’s shirt.

“And, if you’ll let me. If you’d _like_ to,” Bruce continued slowly. “I’d like to take you and your brothers home.”

Damian stiffened. Jason too.

“Not to Gotham. To the manor. To Alfred and your pets.” Bruce clarified instantly. “So I can take care of you the way you need. The way you deserve.”

He looked up at Jason.

“ _All_ of you.”

Jason grimaced, in an attempt of a smile.

There was a moment of nothing, but slowly, Damian looked out again. Not at Bruce, though, or Jason. But across the room at Dick.

“…Grayson?”

“It’s up to you, kiddo.” Dick promised. “If you want to go back with your dad, we’ll go back. If you don’t, we won’t, and Bruce will respect that.” Damian still seemed nervous, so Dick smiled. “No matter where you go, Jay and I are coming with. You’re stuck with us no matter what, we told you that.”

Damian seemed to think it over still, staring at Dick for a moment more, before looking over to his mother.

“…I’m sorry, Mother.” Damian breathed.

Talia smiled genuinely. “You have nothing to apologize for, my love.”

“But, I.” Damian’s eyes suddenly widened in worry. “I. If I go back, I don’t think I can be Robin. I _can’t_ put on that uniform. I don’t. I don’t deserve to carry that legacy or wo-”

“Robin is…” Bruce inhaled. “Grounded. For now. Along with Nightwing and Red Hood, if they so choose.” A soft smile. “Even Batman might take a couple nights off, for you.”

Damian looked down.

“I’m not asking _Robin_ to come home. Robin can never come back, as far as I care.” Bruce hummed, reaching out to tilt Damian’s chin up. “I’m asking if my son, if _Damian Wayne_ , would like to come home.”

Damian’s lip quivered. “…You’re truly not mad?”

Bruce was still smiling, but it faltered, just a little. “…No. I’m not mad.”

All the emotions he was, though, remained unsaid.

“And you’re not angry with Todd?” Damian whispered. “Or Grayson?”

“Everything they and Tim did, they did out of love for you.” Bruce justified. “So, if anything, I’m pro-” Bruce paused, and remembered Tim’s warning from a few days prior. It wasn’t aimed at Damian, but he wasn’t going to chance it. “…pleased, with their choices. And honored to call them my sons.”

And Damian’s eyes were so sad, when he breathed: “…I can really come home?”

Bruce’s grin widened. “I’d like _nothing_ more.”

It was a moment. Just one, where Damian looked back around the room. At his mother, over at Tim. He lingered on Dick the longest, who still seemed wary and protective, but open to the choices at hand, and then looked up at Jason, who smiled at him.

“…Okay.” He whispered, finally looking back at Bruce. And Bruce almost startled, when Damian slipped away from Jason’s protective arm, and towards Bruce. He was hesitant in his forward motion, but when Bruce held his arms open, Damian collapsed exhaustedly into them. “Okay.”

Bruce instantly wrapped his arms around his son’s fragile shoulders. Doubled over him, and held him exactly like he’d wanted to since he’d arrived at that bloody scene. Since he’d learned what happened.

Damian was still crying, still shaking with fear and nerves and every terrible emotion no one in his family ever wanted him to have. But Bruce just kissed his forehead, and rocked him gently. Made room for Talia when she appeared next to him, gently taking hold of Damian’s fingers and stroking them.

She glanced up at Jason, and smiled at him. He returned his own tired grin, before looking at Dick. Dick seemed almost relieved, as he slumped against a nearby sofa, and watched as, just maybe, the healing Damian so desperately needed finally began.

“Let’s go home, Father.”


End file.
